Paul Snedden has been at 19 events

*RSVP HERE:* http://goo.gl/lzmLth
Jump for joy because spring is here! Join your fellow City Experts at our Sydney Spring Fling in the Royal Botanic Gardens. Enjoy exquisite food from our edible garden, release your inner child with giant backyard games and mingle with Sydney's City Experts. This evening of fun and frivolity is sure to put a little 'spring' in your step.
This event is exclusive to Sydney’s City Experts with 50+ reviews and 5 new reviews each month. If you’e not yet a City Expert, join the fun at g.co/cityexpert.
*How to join*: Complete the RSVP form at http://goo.gl/lzmLth and write 50+ high quality reviews by 27 August if you'd like to attend.
_Numbers are strictly limited, so get in quick! Confirmation emails will be sent on Thursday 28 August if you're on the guest list._

KL and the adjacent state of Selangor are the gateway to Malaysia for most of its visitors; this is where you'll find food from all different parts of the country, but what sorts of dishes are uniquely KL and Selangor in influence? Catch this event Live or subscribe to my YouTube channel to be notified once the recorded Hangout is uploaded there - http://youtube.com/jackiemsydney

Another food hub in Malaysia that is a well-known secret among the locals and the Singaporean tourists who cross the border regularly to savour its culinary delights. I was there to film a new TV pilot there in May and was very impressed by the food we ate, even at the most inconspicuous, unglamourous outposts. Join me as I try to capture some uniquely Johor flavours in this Hangout :)
Catch this event Live or subscribe to my YouTube channel to be notified once the recorded Hangout is uploaded there - http://youtube.com/jackiemsydney

*The original Android Hangout Show returns!*
Hi. I was the first guy on Google+ to start doing live Hangout Shows for Android news and discussion way back during the Hangouts on Air beta days. My team and I ran a successful Android related Hangout show for for 74 weeks in a row before our hiatus. Our show was watched and listed to by thousands every week via Google+, YouTube, and various Podcast platforms.
*The band is getting back together...* ...or at least the lead singer.
I've come to realize that the shows offered today just don't cut it. They're not professional. They're boring. They don't offer any value such as show guests or giveaways. They're just not what my team used to provide and it angers me.
I'm going to try my best to change that for you guys. I'm tentatively going to relaunch our Android on Air show next month. The time and date are subject to change pending renovations to my office. If everything can be completed by then, I'll be back in business providing you with quality HoA Android goodness.

Join me in the first of my new series of Hangouts On Air - on Malaysian Ingredients! Unlike my previous series, I'm not teaching straight-out Malaysian dishes, but rather showing how you can infuse some Malaysian Flavours into your everyday cooking :)
AND I will have a guest in my studio with me - hint for those who've bought from me recently - Pink Eyebrows!

Join us next week for an exclusive insight into the minds of Telstra's resident product experts, David Saidden and Nathan Azouz, as we discuss 'Mobiles 2020.' The event is Telstra's first
+Google Australia Hangout and will feature questions from industry bloggers, including +Jens Garcia and +Norman Ma.
Watch the event on our page or on +YouTube, and join the conversation using #Mobiles2020 or #TelstraHangout. See you there!

Well, you probably know we are doing Movember but what you may not have realised is that we are going to keep you informed of every bristle along the way. Yes we are.
So, please join us tomorrow for some laughs and awareness raising for the great causes of Movember.
See you then!

The world's largest annual free-to-the-public outdoor sculpture exhibition, Sculpture by the Sea, Bondi, is back again for a 17th year! One of Sydney's most loved events, the outdoor sculpture exhibition returns to the stunning Bondi to Tamarama coast walk from 24 October - 10 November 2013.
See the spectacular Bondi to Tamarama coastal walk transformed into a two kilometre long temporary sculpture park featuring over 100 sculptures by artists from Australia and across the world.
http://www.sydney.com/events/sculpture-by-the-sea

Art and About is Sydney's most public, collaborative art festival.
It takes place from 20 September through 20 October in the streets and public spaces of Sydney and invites you to get involved .
Commencing Friday, 20 September, Martin Place turns into an outdoor theatre with live music and performance. Then for the month following you'll find art, photography, performances, stories and installations all over the city.
Make sure you head to Hyde Park North for a stroll through an avenue of photography in Sydney Life and Little Sydney Lives - large-scale photos of the city captured through the lenses of Sydneysiders, young and old.
Snailovation - giant two-metre snails in eye-popping colours will be in the city's most public places and they will capture your hearts and imagination and much more!
That's just a taster of what's on!
http://www.sydney.com/events/art-and-about-sydney

I am really excited to be interviewing +Marques Brownlee this Wednesday.
It was great to read when +Vic Gundotra said he "is the best technology reviewer on the planet right now" and I know many people will nod their heads in agreement. As such I contacted Marques and asked if I could ask him a few questions about how he has used YouTube (which I know he loves) and Google+ to help him become the best. Oh, and I may even get a chance to see how he is getting on with Google Glass as well...
This is one event you won't want to miss!
_p.s. I will be taking questions..._

Join Hanna for an online performance of her new instrumental EP in its entirety, plus a few extra songs just for fun. After the performance, there will be a Q & A where you can ask anything about how the EP was recorded, the pieces composed or what hair product Hanna uses. If you're watching on YouTube, you can leave your questions there in a comment, or here on the event page.
Also, please leave me a comment if you'd like to be in the hangout with me. Otherwise, anyone will be able to watch on YouTube.
*USA*: Please note that this will happen on your FRIDAY NIGHT, Aug 16, 10pm EDT or 7pm PDT.
To learn more about the new release, you can read about it here: http://galusaustralis.com/2013/08/7519/artist-profile-hanna-silver/

I've been "off-the-grid" for the best part of a week thanks to my relocation from Concord to Darlinghurst, but I will be participating in this Cooking Demo as part of #FoodieWebWeek - and it's happening in less than 12 hours!
There is a twist though - because my internet at my new digs has only just been connected and I'm not entirely confident of its robustness - instead of doing a Hangout On Air, I have a pre-recorded cooking video that I will be sharing during this timeslot EXCLUSIVE to Google Plus - so be sure to catch it to learn how to make one of the popular items from my just-now closed Concord restaurant :)

Join +Michael Sutton and +Lauren Bath as they walk us through Vivid Sydney via Google Hangout and offer a few photography tips along the way.
+Vivid Sydney is a festival of light, music and ideas that transforms the city of Sydney for 2 weeks.
There are more than 60 interactive and immersive light sculptures and installations across Circular Quay, The Rocks, Walsh Bay, Darling Harbour and North Sydney.
One of the festival highlights is the Lighting the Sails - Sydney Opera House.
We hope you can join us from where-ever you are across the world to view this colourful Sydney festival.

If you have questions about Chrome OS or Chromebooks in general, OR have knowledge to share you should join us in this Hangout.
If you know of anyone with interest let me know. The 1pm US Central time is just an aiming time, it may be sooner or later depending on when our European Chromies would like to hangout also.
*Google is not affiliated nor do the support all the views expressed in the Hangout. Google, Chrome, Chromebooks and other trademarked terms are property of Google and their respective owners.*

Most comments: 359

It's time for a #FridayFunOne . Below is an image of Australia's remaining/living Prime Ministers. This photo was taken at Gough Whitlam's funeral in November.

Which one is your favourite? It doesn't have to be because of their political affiliation, either. If you like Abbott because he dared to wear budgie smugglers in public, then be proud and say so. I promise I won't laugh. Much.

Most reshares: 97

The one thing you learn from a very early age here in Australia is to trust nothing, especially the wildlife. If you think it wants to kill you, it will. If you think it doesn't want to kill you, it will. If it looks too cute to kill you, it will.

Find out more #AboutAustralia - http://goo.gl/688VLF or the new Google+ Collection (https://plus.google.com/collection/gRdpR)

Most plusones: 351

This little girl, who turns 1 on Thursday, has what looks very much like the map of #Australia on her nose. She was entered into a Cat Show at the +Sydney Royal Easter Show but didn't win any prizes. What she did win, however, was bucketload of attention from the crowd because of her rather unique schnoz.

I hope +Jedi will forgive me for posting this, but the picture is just too cute to not share.

These old things really amaze me. I flew into Sydney again on Wednesday afternoon after being in Brissy for a couple of days. I don't know why, but the flight did a circle of the city so I got to have a good look at the expanse of the CBD and the inner harbour. It's nothing short of amazing how much it's changed in just under 150 years.

For those that don't know, "Circular Quay" is where the +Sydney Opera House is located, and "Millers Point" is where the Sydney Harbour Bridge is. That's close enough anyway...I didn't put the words on the map :)

These old things really amaze me. I flew into Sydney again on Wednesday afternoon after being in Brissy for a couple of days. I don't know why, but the flight did a circle of the city so I got to have a good look at the expanse of the CBD and the inner harbour. It's nothing short of amazing how much it's changed in just under 150 years.

For those that don't know, "Circular Quay" is where the +Sydney Opera House is located, and "Millers Point" is where the Sydney Harbour Bridge is. That's close enough anyway...I didn't put the words on the map :)

We live in a world full of hate, discrimination, inequality, and bigotry and it shouldn't be that way, nor should anyone no matter what race, gender, religion or sexual preference have to feel like they are second class citizens.

We don't have to all agree but being ignorant isn't going to change anything. It's time we learned to love one another for who we are as human beings and not by anything else. Stop the hate!

#marriageequality #stopthehate

It's quite simple, really

You wear one pin to work and the world, quite literally, skips a beat.

It's quite simple, really.﻿___Congratulations America

This is what I've learned.

We live in a world full of hate, discrimination, inequality, and bigotry and it shouldn't be that way, nor should anyone no matter what race, gender, religion or sexual preference have to feel like they are second class citizens.

We don't have to all agree but being ignorant isn't going to change anything. It's time we learned to love one another for who we are as human beings and not by anything else. Stop the hate!

So, there's this kid who has been found outside Broken Hill. Not much of a story until you find out that he was found living with a family of kangaroos.

The boy is apparently aged between 4 and 6 years old, and seems surprisingly healthy considering the fact that he was living with animals. He suffers obvious signs of malnutrition, as well as severe sunburns, but he seems to have developed normally and to be in rather good shape.

A complete medical examination will however be necessary to determine precisely his physical and mental condition.

The boy doesn't seem able to understand any human language and is visibly scared of other humans, suggesting he could have been living in the wild for many years. He is terribly scared of other human beings, and tends to react violently when... more »

Australian Tarzan Boy

The story no one has heard about!

So, there's this kid who has been found outside Broken Hill. Not much of a story until you find out that he was found living with a family of kangaroos.

The boy is apparently aged between 4 and 6 years old, and seems surprisingly healthy considering the fact that he was living with animals. He suffers obvious signs of malnutrition, as well as severe sunburns, but he seems to have developed normally and to be in rather good shape.

A complete medical examination will however be necessary to determine precisely his physical and mental condition.

The boy doesn't seem able to understand any human language and is visibly scared of other humans, suggesting he could have been living in the wild for many years. He is terribly scared of other human beings, and tends to react violently when approached, so his rehabilitation is expected to be a long and difficult process.

The +Australian Federal Police​ launched an investigation to determine the identity of the child and the circumstances of his disappearance. They are asking anyone who could possess information which could be useful in the case, to contact the AFP as soon as possible.

A few days ago, I wrote about some basic Drop Bear Facts that every tourist should be aware of when travelling to Australia. You can recap here --> https://goo.gl/k5AJwD

In the comments of the OP, +Christian Fox wrote "Drop Bears only attack non-native Australians". I responded to that comment by saying I found some research into that very thing. THIS is that research.

But first, I thought I should share some more factoids about this most-deadly of Australian animals.

A few days ago, I wrote about some basic Drop Bear Facts that every tourist should be aware of when travelling to Australia. You can recap here --> https://goo.gl/k5AJwD

In the comments of the OP, +Christian Fox wrote "Drop Bears only attack non-native Australians". I responded to that comment by saying I found some research into that very thing. THIS is that research.

But first, I thought I should share some more factoids about this most-deadly of Australian animals.

As you can see in the attached image, the number source of Drop Bear kills is our neighbour across the ditch. New Zealand

That really comes as no surprise, since there's so many of the bastards here. What does surprise me, however, is the number of Germans who get killed by Drop Bears each year. I always thought that our crocodiles preferred munching on a German, but it seems like the Drop Bear gets in on the sauerkraut action as well.

This is, of course, only the known deaths. There will be many thousands more of unrecorded maulings because thee is little evidence remaining after a Drop Bear gets its claws and teeth into you.

I was just reading a humourous article - "Non-Australians Reacted To Photos Of Aussie Things And Got Very Confused" - on BuzzFeed and saw the above quote next to this photo.

I think I laughed a bit too much.

This, for those playing along, is the current leader of our nation. Our President, if you will. A man "famous" for wearing far too revealing swim wear for a man of his age, and for being a staunch Catholic. Separation of Church and State? Not on Tony's watch.

I was just reading a humourous article - "Non-Australians Reacted To Photos Of Aussie Things And Got Very Confused" - on BuzzFeed and saw the above quote next to this photo.

I think I laughed a bit too much.

This, for those playing along, is the current leader of our nation. Our President, if you will. A man "famous" for wearing far too revealing swim wear for a man of his age, and for being a staunch Catholic. Separation of Church and State? Not on Tony's watch.

The one thing you learn from a very early age here in Australia is to trust nothing, especially the wildlife. If you think it wants to kill you, it will. If you think it doesn't want to kill you, it will. If it looks too cute to kill you, it will.

Find out more #AboutAustralia - http://goo.gl/688VLF or the new Google+ Collection (https://plus.google.com/collection/gRdpR)

The one thing you learn from a very early age here in Australia is to trust nothing, especially the wildlife. If you think it wants to kill you, it will. If you think it doesn't want to kill you, it will. If it looks too cute to kill you, it will.

Find out more #AboutAustralia - http://goo.gl/688VLF or the new Google+ Collection (https://plus.google.com/collection/gRdpR)

I've wanted to do the entire #Vivid walk for a few years now, so I finally took the plunge this year. I got a group of friends together, had some dinner and off we went.

First off, WOW. It's very impressive but you really need to take the time to stop at each location and enjoy the light show. Simply walking past isn't going to be enough.

My highlights of the night would have been the Museum of Contemporary Art and Customs House. The +Sydney Opera House​​ looked stunning, of course, but it's become a bit over used. I was really disappointed in the Harbour Bridge, as there was nothing going on the bridge whilst I was there. Maybe it comes on later on the night? I'm not sure, but for Sydney's other famous landmark they should be do something all the time. more »

This is +Vivid Sydney​​ 2015

How was your Saturday night?

I've wanted to do the entire #Vivid walk for a few years now, so I finally took the plunge this year. I got a group of friends together, had some dinner and off we went.

First off, WOW. It's very impressive but you really need to take the time to stop at each location and enjoy the light show. Simply walking past isn't going to be enough.

My highlights of the night would have been the Museum of Contemporary Art and Customs House. The +Sydney Opera House​​ looked stunning, of course, but it's become a bit over used. I was really disappointed in the Harbour Bridge, as there was nothing going on the bridge whilst I was there. Maybe it comes on later on the night? I'm not sure, but for Sydney's other famous landmark they should be do something all the time.

Anyway, I've created a collage of a few photos using the all new +Google Photos​​ app. It's awesome to be able to create your own autoawesome things and share them.

Lastly, I'm extremely glad I didn't take +Jedi​​ with me. The crowds were insane.

The photo is pretty dodgy, because I'm using my Nexus 7 top take the shot. But, this is what now greets visitors to The White House when you walk in the front door. There's three of them, which were leftover from the main reno I finished a couple of years ago (see here - https://plus.google.com/+PaulSnedden/posts/LmgJmwiKNsF )

All that's left to do for this stage is repaint the ceiling and install the new chandelier.

What are you doing this weekend? ;-)

h/t to +Peter G McDermott​​ for keeping me company earlier while I was on the scaffold.

The photo is pretty dodgy, because I'm using my Nexus 7 top take the shot. But, this is what now greets visitors to The White House when you walk in the front door. There's three of them, which were leftover from the main reno I finished a couple of years ago (see here - https://plus.google.com/+PaulSnedden/posts/LmgJmwiKNsF )

All that's left to do for this stage is repaint the ceiling and install the new chandelier.

What are you doing this weekend? ;-)

h/t to +Peter G McDermott​​ for keeping me company earlier while I was on the scaffold.

Drop Bear Attack Survivor groups are up in arms over a local zoo's adoption of an orphaned Drop Bear Cub. The razor-sharp-fanged, red-eyed, vicious baby killer requires three times its own body weight in raw meat to sustain it. It's preferred meal is, of course, human flesh

To put things in perspective, that means that three other animals have to die to keep this vicious, yet very cute carnivore alive, and at least a litre of human blood from the +Australian Red Cross Blood Service is being diverted away from people that may need it for transfusions.

Drop Bear Attack Survivor groups are up in arms over a local zoo's adoption of an orphaned Drop Bear Cub. The razor-sharp-fanged, red-eyed, vicious baby killer requires three times its own body weight in raw meat to sustain it. It's preferred meal is, of course, human flesh

To put things in perspective, that means that three other animals have to die to keep this vicious, yet very cute carnivore alive, and at least a litre of human blood from the +Australian Red Cross Blood Service is being diverted away from people that may need it for transfusions.

Yes, folks, it's that time again. With the +Eurovision Song Contest just days away, I thought it pertinent to share something else that's common between our two countries.....other than #Eurovision , of course :-)

Share the love, good people. Tag a European and let them know how much we love them.

Yes, folks, it's that time again. With the +Eurovision Song Contest just days away, I thought it pertinent to share something else that's common between our two countries.....other than #Eurovision , of course :-)

Share the love, good people. Tag a European and let them know how much we love them.

A couple of weeks ago I put my Nexus 5 in for repair, as the GPS has decided to not work for me anymore. At the time, +Telstra gave me a Nokia Lumia as a temporary replacement whilst the Nexus was repaired. Whilst I was fine with using it for a couple of weeks, I donned my Keyboard Warrior hat and wrote a brief missive about how unfair it was that I had to use inferior technology (Windows Phone) whilst my Android device was off the air. You can read what I wrote here - https://goo.gl/i3r2nf - if you're so inclined.

In the comments of the OP, +Telstra with a rather unusual (in my mind) "I can imagine that being really hard for an avid Android user! Let me see if there is anything I can do (no promises!)." It was unusual because I wasn't expecting anything to come from my rant.

A couple of weeks ago I put my Nexus 5 in for repair, as the GPS has decided to not work for me anymore. At the time, +Telstra gave me a Nokia Lumia as a temporary replacement whilst the Nexus was repaired. Whilst I was fine with using it for a couple of weeks, I donned my Keyboard Warrior hat and wrote a brief missive about how unfair it was that I had to use inferior technology (Windows Phone) whilst my Android device was off the air. You can read what I wrote here - https://goo.gl/i3r2nf - if you're so inclined.

In the comments of the OP, +Telstra with a rather unusual (in my mind) "I can imagine that being really hard for an avid Android user! Let me see if there is anything I can do (no promises!)." It was unusual because I wasn't expecting anything to come from my rant.

Anyway, as it turns out, +Telstra came to the party and have given me an HTC One M9. The only proviso is that I have to write a review for them. So, here I am, keyboard at the ready. I've never done a phone review before - I'm not a hardware guy.

Help me out here, people. If you're looking for a new phone, what do you look for? Size? Battery life? Features? I'll write the review according to your requirements.

My thanks to Jamie for the shiny new toy. I've not progressed this since our last chat, I promise I'll get it done in time bwahahahahaha

Some random dude (me) has gone to the trouble of finding out what it would look like if you googled the phrase "how much does cost in..." and then adding the name of each country on the end and letting #GoogleVoodoo do the rest.

The results are very interesting indeed.

Now, first up, I know that these results are personalised for me. I get that, and I get that the results you get might/will be drastically different. That's not the point, so move on :)

Where possible, I have taken the top two results for each country where I could find results. For a ... more »

Let Me Google That For You

How much does <autocompleteresult> cost in <country>

Some random dude (me) has gone to the trouble of finding out what it would look like if you googled the phrase "how much does cost in..." and then adding the name of each country on the end and letting #GoogleVoodoo do the rest.

The results are very interesting indeed.

Now, first up, I know that these results are personalised for me. I get that, and I get that the results you get might/will be drastically different. That's not the point, so move on :)

Where possible, I have taken the top two results for each country where I could find results. For a very small number, I also grabbed the third result because they were very unique in their own right. I've thrown all the results into a Google Sheet - you can find that here: https://goo.gl/JyMaqa

It's only fitting that I put together an #AboutAustralia Collection because it's the thing I'm known for on Google Plus. One of the things I've both enjoyed and been annoyed at with the series is the "perma-post" that I use as a reference for all the #AboutAustralia posts I write. You can find it here - http://goo.gl/688VLF. I enjoy it because it's a good way of keeping an eye on how many posts I've written (259, and still counting) but it's also annoying because it's just so bland-looking.

The Collections feature effectively makes that post redundant because I can now just share the whole collection to you and you can see them all instead of just a list of links and a brief description.

It's only fitting that I put together an #AboutAustralia Collection because it's the thing I'm known for on Google Plus. One of the things I've both enjoyed and been annoyed at with the series is the "perma-post" that I use as a reference for all the #AboutAustralia posts I write. You can find it here - http://goo.gl/688VLF. I enjoy it because it's a good way of keeping an eye on how many posts I've written (259, and still counting) but it's also annoying because it's just so bland-looking.

The Collections feature effectively makes that post redundant because I can now just share the whole collection to you and you can see them all instead of just a list of links and a brief description.

So, thanks +Google​, +Daniel Raynaud​, +Moritz Tolxdorff​ and the rest of the team. Keep up the fantastic work.﻿___

So, the GPS on my #Nexus5 is not giving me real-time updates nor voice-guided navigation. After going through the rigmarole of software updates and factory resets, I took it into my local +Telstra store. After the guy decided to Google the issue (!!!), he eventually agreed it's a hardware problem.

They've given me a Nokia Lumia 925 as a temporary phone.

ARGH!

How am I meant to live with this thing? Seeing as I do most of my Google Plussing on my phone, expect me to be a little quiet for the next coupla weeks.

#ns ﻿

Hello, you're on off the air

Somebody get me a doctor!

So, the GPS on my #Nexus5 is not giving me real-time updates nor voice-guided navigation. After going through the rigmarole of software updates and factory resets, I took it into my local +Telstra store. After the guy decided to Google the issue (!!!), he eventually agreed it's a hardware problem.

They've given me a Nokia Lumia 925 as a temporary phone.

ARGH!

How am I meant to live with this thing? Seeing as I do most of my Google Plussing on my phone, expect me to be a little quiet for the next coupla weeks.

This image depicts Aussie servicemen from 5 eras - The Boer War (South Africa), World War I, World War II, Vietnam, and the modern era (Iraq / Afghanistan). The five are sharing a beer - and certainly the odd story or two - in a typical Aussie pub. It's a print created by the very talented +Warrick Eady, your own copy can be ordered at http://warrickeadyphotography.bigcartel.com/

2015 marks the 100th anniversary of that fateful day on a beach in Turkey, the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War.

But, ANZAC Day goes beyond the anniversary of the landing on Gallipoli in 1915. It is the day on which we remember Australians (and New Zealanders) who have served and died in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations. The spirit of ANZAC, with its human ... more »

ANZAC Day

One hundred years on!

This image depicts Aussie servicemen from 5 eras - The Boer War (South Africa), World War I, World War II, Vietnam, and the modern era (Iraq / Afghanistan). The five are sharing a beer - and certainly the odd story or two - in a typical Aussie pub. It's a print created by the very talented +Warrick Eady, your own copy can be ordered at http://warrickeadyphotography.bigcartel.com/

2015 marks the 100th anniversary of that fateful day on a beach in Turkey, the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War.

But, ANZAC Day goes beyond the anniversary of the landing on Gallipoli in 1915. It is the day on which we remember Australians (and New Zealanders) who have served and died in all wars, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations. The spirit of ANZAC, with its human qualities of courage, mateship, and sacrifice, continues to have meaning and relevance for our sense of national identity.

The word ‘mate’ has a long, proud and distinctive history in Australia. From Broome to Omeo, “G’day mate, owsitgoin?” is the familiar phrase all Australians instinctively understand. It’s a part of the national lexicon found nowhere else in the world.

The term ‘mateship’ can be traced back to the early convicts and was likely to have formed out of the predominantly Irish working-class egalitarianism present in British society in early colonial times. The harsh environment in which convicts and new settlers found themselves meant that men and women closely relied on each other for all sorts of help. In Australia, a 'mate' is more than just a friend. It's a term that implies a sense of shared experience, mutual respect and unconditional assistance.

Originally, ‘mate’ was a bit of a blokey term. A century ago, our great poet, Henry Lawson wrote a short story entitled Mateship. Lawson said the grandest of mates were two blokes. But Lawson was also good enough to concede that “the creed of mateship” could extend to an old mate’s wife or daughters.

Mateship is a term frequently used to describe a relationship during times of challenge. The popular notion of mateship came to the fore during the First World War. During this period, the word 'mate' became interchangeable with the word 'digger', which had its roots in the gold digging fields of the 1850s. Gold diggers were portrayed in stories and songs as romantic heroes, larrikins and villains who embraced the principles of democracy. Mateship was defined through the experience of trench warfare, concentration camps, hunger, injury, forced labour and the boredom and terror of war

They tramp in mateship side by side -The Protestant and RomanThey call no biped lord or sirAnd touch their hat to no man - Henry Lawson, Shearers

I’d like to clarify a few things #AboutAustralia for any international visitors who would like to travel to the geographic backside of the world (meaning, we’re so far away from everything else!):

1. Hardly any Aussies look like, or act like Crocodile Dundee or Steve Irwin - Crikey, what a load of codswallop. Whilst the overly-suntanned look is not common (slip, slop, slap and all that), we all have crocodile teeth necklaces and carry weapons.

2. Most metropolitan areas do not have kangaroos jumping around in the streets - Tish Tosh. We don't have cars, so how else are we supposed to get around town if not on the back of a roo?

3. Australians only drink Fosters beer - You won’t see many cartons of Fosters in the bottle shops located throughout the country. You’re m... more »

Australian Myths

There is nothing but #truth here.

I’d like to clarify a few things #AboutAustralia for any international visitors who would like to travel to the geographic backside of the world (meaning, we’re so far away from everything else!):

1. Hardly any Aussies look like, or act like Crocodile Dundee or Steve Irwin - Crikey, what a load of codswallop. Whilst the overly-suntanned look is not common (slip, slop, slap and all that), we all have crocodile teeth necklaces and carry weapons.

2. Most metropolitan areas do not have kangaroos jumping around in the streets - Tish Tosh. We don't have cars, so how else are we supposed to get around town if not on the back of a roo?

3. Australians only drink Fosters beer - You won’t see many cartons of Fosters in the bottle shops located throughout the country. You’re more likely to come across Fosters overseas. That's because we like to play jokes on you all and then keep all the decent beer for when you come over for a visit.

4. Australians have a similar accent to our cousins in New Zealand - say what, cuz? Anyone who seriously thinks that has never gone to the fush and chup shop to buy sux thongs.

5. Neighbours is just Coronoation Street with sunshine - Nonono. Neighbours is just Benny Hill with less music.

6. It’s true that there are harsher prison sentences for failing to declare goods such as fruit or salami, than if you bring in other dodgy substances such as hard drugs - that's true, but only because we prefer to kill our drug mules in Bali.

7. Two weeks is not enough time to ‘see’ Australia - two weeks is more than enough time to see Sydney, however. And we all know, there's worth seeing outside of Sydney.

8. Stealing a loaf of bread was the only action required for English people to score a free boat trip to Australia in the 1790’s - In the 21st century, bringing a loaf of bread into the country is enough cause for deportation due to quarantine laws that are probably stricter than U.S. Homeland Security legislation.

With tourism being one of Australia's biggest selling points to the global economy, it's not too far a stretch to suggest that the odd tourist or two might hook up with a local and talk about The Beast With Two Backs. Because of this, I felt it was an important to provide the world with A Guide To Australian Sex Slang.

Here’s some slang to help you get into some Aussie spunk rat’s pants:

Got The Hots For - The act of having a crush on someone. i.e. “Maureen Jones totally has the hots for Johnno.”

Wristy - The act of jerking off a man, i.e. “She gave him a wristy in the bathroom at the party.”

Gobby - The act of giving a man a blow job, i.e. “Then she got on her knees and ... more »

Let's Talk About Sex

Aussie-style

With tourism being one of Australia's biggest selling points to the global economy, it's not too far a stretch to suggest that the odd tourist or two might hook up with a local and talk about The Beast With Two Backs. Because of this, I felt it was an important to provide the world with A Guide To Australian Sex Slang.

Here’s some slang to help you get into some Aussie spunk rat’s pants:

Got The Hots For - The act of having a crush on someone. i.e. “Maureen Jones totally has the hots for Johnno.”

Wristy - The act of jerking off a man, i.e. “She gave him a wristy in the bathroom at the party.”

Gobby - The act of giving a man a blow job, i.e. “Then she got on her knees and have him a gobby.”

Cop A Root - The act of having sex i.e. “Did you cop a root?”

See also: “A Cheeky Root” (the act of having sex when it’s a bad idea, guilt free; the use of “cheeky” in front of any elicit act for instance smoking a “cheeky” ciggie, doing a “cheeky” line, implies you’re not responsible for the irresponsible behaviour despite engaging willingly/wanting to engage/being the one to suggest engaement); “Root Rat” (a person that enjoys a cheeky root more often than not).

Smash Your Back Out - The act of having sex, i.e. “Let me take you back to the shed, throw you on the workbench, and smash your back out.” It’s commonly accepted that Australians don’t “do” things, but that they “smash” things; applies equally to smashing beer, smashing vegemite toast, smashing a run, etc.

Tits Out For The Boys A chant commonly used by drunk bros around women, usually while clapping in time to the words, i.e. “Tits! Out! For the Boys! Tits out for the boys!”

Toeier Than A Roman Sandal - Someone that is very horny, i.e. “All these babes are making me toeir than a Roman sandal.”

Jut - Pronounced Joot - A vagina i.e. “My joot’s itchy.”

Tosser - A slur against someone implying that they masturbate a lot; wanker, i.e. “Johnno cheated on Maureen Jones, what a tosser.”

Spoof - Semen, i.e. “I got his spoof in my hair, how embarrassing.” Also used to imply aimlessness in life, i.e. “I just spoofed about all day.”

It's beginning again. I am installing a fake floor so that I can repaint the walls and put up some decorative panelling on the ceiling. Oh, and a new chandelier.

For those that don't know, I call my house The White House because it's made from white brick. If you want to look at the main Renovation I did, then click on the first hashtag below. I'm slowly turning my house into an 18th Century French themed "Castle".

I'll post updates as I go, as always.

#WhiteHouseReno #WhiteHouseRenoTwo﻿

The White House Renovation

Stage 2

It's beginning again. I am installing a fake floor so that I can repaint the walls and put up some decorative panelling on the ceiling. Oh, and a new chandelier.

For those that don't know, I call my house The White House because it's made from white brick. If you want to look at the main Renovation I did, then click on the first hashtag below. I'm slowly turning my house into an 18th Century French themed "Castle".

This little girl, who turns 1 on Thursday, has what looks very much like the map of #Australia on her nose. She was entered into a Cat Show at the +Sydney Royal Easter Show but didn't win any prizes. What she did win, however, was bucketload of attention from the crowd because of her rather unique schnoz.

I hope +Jedi will forgive me for posting this, but the picture is just too cute to not share.

Via +The Daily Telegraph (http://goo.gl/XoPsbs)

#AboutAustralia http://goo.gl/688VLF

#Australia #sydney #easter2015 #caturdayeveryday ﻿

When #Caturday Meets #AboutAustralia

Say hello to 'Oz'

This little girl, who turns 1 on Thursday, has what looks very much like the map of #Australia on her nose. She was entered into a Cat Show at the +Sydney Royal Easter Show but didn't win any prizes. What she did win, however, was bucketload of attention from the crowd because of her rather unique schnoz.

I hope +Jedi will forgive me for posting this, but the picture is just too cute to not share.

Ever since Steve Irwin got too close to a Stingray in 2006, the world has gone nuts waiting for someone else as mad as him. Like him or loathe him, Irwin brought attention to Australia's (and the world's) dangerous wildlife in a manner that no one else has really replicated. Sure, there's guys like +Bear Grylls​ but honestly, he's not on the same scale of insanity as Irwin IMHO.

Here's a guy who has "always had this weird bond with reptiles." Greaves has spent hours swimming without protection among large crocodiles with underwater visibility of less than 30m. "Mostly I’ve found," he says, "once you’re underwater with them, they become nice, friendly and ... more »

Is this guy the next Crocodile Hunter?

Or, just an idiot with a camera?

Ever since Steve Irwin got too close to a Stingray in 2006, the world has gone nuts waiting for someone else as mad as him. Like him or loathe him, Irwin brought attention to Australia's (and the world's) dangerous wildlife in a manner that no one else has really replicated. Sure, there's guys like +Bear Grylls​ but honestly, he's not on the same scale of insanity as Irwin IMHO.

Here's a guy who has "always had this weird bond with reptiles." Greaves has spent hours swimming without protection among large crocodiles with underwater visibility of less than 30m. "Mostly I’ve found," he says, "once you’re underwater with them, they become nice, friendly and placid."

A while back (wow, was it really more than 3 years ago?), I wrote about The Rules of Cricket (http://goo.gl/UXTXgC). I compared my beloved game of Cricket to the game of Baseball, as it's an easy way for Americans to "get it".

Now, the good people at +Slate have put together a video explaining Cricket to Americans. You can find it here --> http://goo.gl/BUKqpA. It's a great video, and worth checking out, but it's not complete

Here's a brief summary/recap of "the rules"....

1. Instead of a maximum of 3 outs in an innings, in cricket there is a maximum of 10. You don't need to use all 10, if you don't want to. If you think you have scored enough points ("runs") then you can give the ... more »

An American's Guide to Cricket

Where a "World Series" actually involves The World

A while back (wow, was it really more than 3 years ago?), I wrote about The Rules of Cricket (http://goo.gl/UXTXgC). I compared my beloved game of Cricket to the game of Baseball, as it's an easy way for Americans to "get it".

Now, the good people at +Slate have put together a video explaining Cricket to Americans. You can find it here --> http://goo.gl/BUKqpA. It's a great video, and worth checking out, but it's not complete

Here's a brief summary/recap of "the rules"....

1. Instead of a maximum of 3 outs in an innings, in cricket there is a maximum of 10. You don't need to use all 10, if you don't want to. If you think you have scored enough points ("runs") then you can give the other team a turn. This typically only happens in a Test Match, which is the longest form of the game (which can last for up to 5 days).

2. Instead of one batter, in cricket there are two.

3. Just like in Baseball, in Cricket you can have multiple "pitchers". In Cricket, however, you get a maximum of 6 bowls ("pitches") before another bowler/pitcher has a turn (for another 6). Each group of 6 is called an "Over".

4. To score a run in Cricket, all you have to do is "swap ends" instead of doing a lap around a diamond. You can also score by hitting the ball to the boundary (to score 4 runs/points) or over the fence (a "home run", valuing 6 runs/points).

5. In baseball, there is basically only one way to get out...being caught (don't correct me if I'm wrong, just go with me). In Cricket, there are TEN ways to get out. More on that below....

6. There are 3 basic games of Cricket that can be played. Traditionally, there is a Test Match, which lasts for a maximum of FIVE DAYS. In the 1970s, a new version was created called a One Day Match (limited to 50 overs). This attracted large crowds. Recently, in the past 5 years or so, a more-limited version of the game (20 overs each, called "Twenty-20") has become popular. Now, this version of the game lasts only 4 hours.

7. Unlike you soft Americans, only one of our players wears gloves when fielding. That guy is called the Wicket Keeper (aka "The Keeper", or "Wicky"). He wears two gloves, and in years gone by. sometimes a steak. The two batsmen also wear gloves, because protecting your hands from the rock-hard ball being thrown at you at 100mph is kinda important.

So, the 10 ways of getting "out" in Cricket are:(Before I begin, there are very very very few people who can name all 10 of these without having to Google it)

Take a look at this photo I took earlier tonight at my local +Woolworths​ store. I walked up (from the back of the store) to grab some tomatoes, saw that they were $3.49 a kilo, and so I grabbed a few. When I got to the checkout, the woman rang them up as $6.98 a kilo. I questioned, and she pointed towards the stand where I could see both prices below (well below eye-level, and not as eye-catching as the pricetag on top). I paid my money and walked out. I took this photo from the front door.....

The "Special" price on top is sitting neatly between both products (60% over the Avocados and 40% over the Tomatoes). And yes, it clearly says (in tiny writing, with a really small picture to match) that the price is for the Avocados.